nicolaoutdoors

The weather forecast said: Saturday, showers turning to rain and Sunday, rain turning to showers. But sometimes you have to take the chance so we drove up on Friday night. Saturday was perrrrfect for climbing: 23/24C and overcast. A few teeeny showers came through but nothing to speak of. They became more frequent as we [...]

What a difference three weeks makes! The mosquitoes have gone (replaced by flies. yay.). The green of the surrounding fields, so obvious on our last visit, has almost faded and the wheat is ripe and ready for harvest. It will be the first good harvest in some years for the Wimmera farmers. Today,  I read [...]

The fact that it has been a good spring for farmers in abundantly obvious. The view from Mt. Arapiles is typically comprised of of brown and yellow dust and salt pans. Right now the lakes are full of water and the wheat and canola are green and healthy. Unfortunately, all this unexpected abundance of water [...]

Welcome to Hanging Rock Hanging Rock, Victoria is most famous for the 1967 Joan Lindsay book, Picnic at Hanging Rock, which was adapted for film by Peter Weir in 1975. Since the autumn colours were in full display, I thought a trip to Mt. Macedon and a walk up Hanging Rock would make a pretty [...]

I was at Wilson’s Prom last weekend on a relaxed trip with my parents who are visiting from the UK. We stayed in a cabin, rather than camping, and had fun on the beaches and surveying the extent of the recent bush fires. I had heard from friends that there was some bouldering at the [...]

Last weekend, we found a super-secret, very quiet and very pretty spot to camp en route to the Grampians so that the Friday night drive up from Melbourne was more tolerable, but still far enough to allow us to arrive early enough in the morning to beat the crowds.  It would have worked perfectly if [...]

Last week we took a short trip to western Victoria. Our departure was a little delayed because of the fire and wind warnings for Tuesday, but we still managed a few days climbing at the Arapiles, a visit to Naracoorte Caves, a short paddle on the Lower Glenelg and a visit to Nelson. Naracoorte Caves [...]

I love late Spring. The last few weeks have seen trips to the Arapiles, the You Yangs and the Grampians. Except for one day, when we were lucky enough to have my friend Noriko visiting from Vancouver, it has just been myself and Ross, so I haven’t taken that many photos … The highpoints for [...]

My shoulder is still injured. I can use it a little and do some exercise: yoga (but no hand balances), pilates, run, swim (with a kickboard; no freestyling) and some leg/abdominal strength stuff. But I can’t load the muscle so I can’t climb or do pull-ups. I guess it will get better eventually but for [...]

A weekend climbing trip to the Grampians. But only two of us so no climbing photos. The spring flowers are coming through, though and Saturday’s weather was beautiful. Perfect for a post-climbing evening walk to see sunset colour the inspiring Taipan Wall a bright, glowy orange. Saturday was good bouldering and several problems were sent. [...]